The Spanish Inquisition was a judicial institution established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile.
It sought to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in Spain and its territories and to replace the Medieval Inquisition, which was under Papal control. The Spanish Inquisition is notorious for its persecution of religious minorities, its brutality, and its widespread use of torture.
The primary objective of the Inquisition was to identify and combat heresy among converts from Judaism and Islam to Christianity. Spain had a long history of Jewish and Muslim populations, and the Reconquista—the Christian reconquest of Spain from Muslim Moors—culminated in 1492 with the capture of Granada. With the end of Muslim rule in Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella sought to strengthen Catholic Christian dominance in the region.
The influence and intensity of the Inquisition waned in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Enlightenment ideas and changing political landscapes reduced its power. The Spanish Inquisition was officially abolished in the early 19th century, first in 1808 by Napoleon during his occupation of Spain and permanently in 1834.
The Spanish Inquisition has left a lasting and infamous legacy in world history, often symbolizing religious intolerance, brutality, and the dangers of absolute power. Its methods and operations have been the subject of countless studies, narratives, and artistic works over the centuries.
In human history, the Spanish Inquisition occupies a distinct place in terms of the sheer level of brutality that was perpetrated by the Spanish monarchs who were authorized by the...
